Electric iron



Nov. 13, 1951 A.AMUCHASTEGU1 l 2,574,855

LECTRIC IRON Filed Ooi. 13, 1947 Patented Nov. 13, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC IRON Alfredo Amuchastegui, Buenos Aires, Argentina Application October 13, 1947, Serial No. 779,505

(Cl. 219-Z) 3 Claims. l

My invention consists of an improvement in electric irons and the like ironing devices by taking advantage of the heat produced by the electric current in the usual resistance heater, maintaining and conserving this heat for a very much longer time than is usual in the ordinary electric irons, and consequently economising in the consumption of electric current.

By consuming current for heating the iron for only the usual length of time required by ordinary electric irons of known type, which time will depend uponthe particular material it is intended to iron and which consumption may be regulated by any of lthe known devices for automatically opening the electric circuit when a predetermined temperature has been reached by the iron before commencing the Work, suiicient heat will be retained by this device of my invention to enable the work of ironing to be continued in the usual discontinuous manner for a considerable time after the heating current has been automatically or manually switched off, and without any further consumption of current than was originally used in heating up the ironing device to the predetermined temperature.

This economy is achieved by adapting an insulating lining to the interior of the hollow electric iron, above the usually fiat resistance heating element, which lining may consist of asbestos cloth, or other suitable material that is refractory to heat and resistant to electric currents, or may be of enamel, or plastic material suitable for the purpose stated, which lining, or envelope acts as a container for the heat-resisting or retaining material, denominated Termo which may consist of ne, dry sand, asbestos powder, ibre or filaments, or other material or mixture of materials suitable for retaining heat in the manner stated.

The addition of the said heat-retaining material and its container does not make any great difference to the external appearance of the electric iron, as compared with the conventional irons on the market and such slight increase in size and weight as may obtain, are advantages to the user of this new type of iron.

The remaining accessories as well as those already mentioned are specified in Figs. 1 to 6 of the drawings attached, and the sizes and shapes of the various parts are subject to changes in accordance with the weight and volume of the different Inaterials that may be used in their construction.

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation made longitudinally and vertically through the centre-line of the apparatus, where I indicates the handle which may be of wood, Bakelite or other suitable material. 2 is a metal or other supporting element for the said handle. 3 is one of the two metal bolts that unite the base with the supporting plate I3, shown in Fig. 5. 4 is one or the two screws holding the handle to its supporting rod.. 5 is the metal base, which may be of iron, steel or other suitable material. S is the electric heating element, consisting oi resistance wire, protected by refractory material, or other insulating means. l is the outer metal cover, which may be of other suitable material. 8 is the insulating inner cover or container of the heat-retaining material and may be of asbestos cloth, or other suitable material. il is the heat-.retaining material, which may be of tine, dry sand, or other suitable material, such as asbestos etc. serving a like purpose. It is the metal support of the handle. I l is the electric plug for connecting the current. I2 (Fig. 3) shows the holes for the holding bolts, (shown as 3 in Fig. l). I3 is the metal coverplate supporting the handle, (best seen in Fig. 5). Irl (Fig. 3) is the lower, metal cover plate, protecting the electric resistance heater. i5 is the mechanism of the automatic electric switch. I6 is the knob, or handle of the said automatic switch.

Figs. 4 and 6 are additional exterior views in elevation of the iron.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the iron just above the heating element and the numbers in this gure correspond with those in Fig. l.

5 is the base of iron or steel or other suitable material.

8 is the electric resistance heater, with its refractory, or insulating elements.

8 is the envelope, or bag, container of the heatretaining element and may be of asbestos cloth, or other suitable material.

9 is the heat-retaining, or conserving element, which may be of ne, dry sand, or asbestos powder, or other suitable material.

I l is the electric connecting plug.

I2 shows the position of the bolt-holes for the holding-down bolts.

Fig. 3 shows the cover of the base, which cover may be of metal or other suitable material.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the exterior, numbered to correspond with Fig. l.

I being the handle as already shown.

2 the metal support for same (not visible).

3 the heads of the holding-down bolts (not visible).

4 the two screws supporting the said handle (not visible) 5 the metal base plate.

'I the exterior case of the iron.

I I the electric connecting plug.

I3 (Fig. 5) is the metal cover-plate over the heat-retaining case for attachment and support of the handle.

I5 the knob, or handle of the automatic switch.

Fig. 6 is another exterior view of the iron in elevation.

The new and improved electric iron of my invention may be constructed of iron, steel, or any other suitable material and may be nickel or chrome plated, or enamelled externally. It is completely lined internally with a sheet, cloth or other lining, which may be fixed or loose and may be of asbestos, or any other suitable material for holding and retaining heat.

The manner of using this invention is as follows:

The iron is plugged into the electric circuit and allowed to heat up for three or four minutes, according to the suitable temperature for the work to be undertaken, which may consist of ironing silk, linen, Wool, cotton.

As soon as the desired temperature has been reached, the electric current is disconnected and the iron is ready for use. When after ironing a while the heat of the iron begins to decrease, same should be plugged in again for 3 or 4 minutes.

Practical tests show that the iron retains sufficient heat after being disconnected to enable ironing to be continued for a period of ten minutes when ironing thick and very damp materials, and more than double that time when ironing thin and fairly dry material.

Other additional devices, such as automatic temperature measuring or controlling instruments or apparatus may be attached or connected with this invention. As will be seen from the above description, my invention achieves a very great economy in the consumption of electric current, i. e.

(1) Economy in the actual consumption in the` As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, each iron is provided with at least 96 cubes of insulating material which maintains the heat, situated on the upper surface of the base of the iron, said cubes having longitudinal channels through which the resistance wire of Nichrome passes. These cubes which are disposed in continuous rows in contact with each other are made of a type of porcelain for electrical purposes consisting of sand, refractory earth and kaolin and are fixed in place by a plate I4, attached by bolts which penetrate the iron vertically.

The interior of the iron is lined with a sheet of insulating material preferably of asbestos 8 which covers the upper surface of the plate I4 as well as the side walls and the inside of the upper wall of the iron.

Having fully described my invention both in theory and practice, I claim:

1. An electric iron and the like comprising a metal base member, a heating means adjacent the base, an internal cover plate extending over the heating means and forming a space above and below the heating means, an outer cover on the base member, an envelope adjacent the outer cover, and a filling of a heat retaining material in the envelop-e, said iilling including a plurality of cubes of insulating material provided adjacent the base.

2. An electric iron according to claim 1, in which the cubes of heat retaining material are arranged in rows.

3. Anelectric iron according to claim 1, in which the cubes of heat retaining material are perforated to receive the heating means.

ALFREDO AMUCHASTEGUI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 490,034 Morford Jan. 17, 1893 842,849 Anderson Feb. 5, 1907 952,385 Trott Mar. l5, 1910 1,123,520 Golden Jan. 5, 1915 1,552,336 Mottlau Sept. 1, 1925 1,699,737 Hicks Jan. 22, 1929 2,179,890 Kaplan Nov. 14, 1939 

